18 Lights, Camera, Action
Frank Marshall had finished a very nice meal in the cafeteria where he had chatted for a while with Doctor Martin, a nice young man who he had seen grow into the very good doctor he now was. They both came from the same part of the country, and often chatted about places they'd visited on trips home, even mutual friends they'd discovered they had. Now he'd found out that the doc was getting married, and that pleasant thought had cheered him considerably as he made himself comfortable in his seat for another deadly dull night in front of the monitors attached to all the CCTV cameras around the hospital and its grounds.
He caught sight of a couple of the nurses from paediatrics taking a short stroll as they usually did on their break and then saw another woman, blonde, who he recognised from the ER, and tried to remember her name, he didn't succeed though and gave up trying. She seemed happy enough with the young man she was with and he needed a coffee desperately.
ooo
"You know, we never spent much time here together as children, did we?" David was looking out on the gardens from the morning room as he spoke.
"Well, we were here at the same times, but I guess we had different interests. Grandpa was already showin' you how to run a business, an' Grandma, I guess she just never thought she would be raisin' another family havin' done it once already." As much as Jo wanted to get up from her seat and stand with her brother, she was comfortable, and knew that to move would cause her pain, a pain she was glad to be almost free of, just for a while.
"No, I don't think she ever got over that. I know she missed momma an' papa, but she never seemed to let herself go enough to even try to be a second mother … I wish she had." David turned round and looked down at his sister. She was as beautiful as ever, but there was a fatigue about her, a sadness in her eyes and he moved over, sat down and took her hand in his own.
"I am so sorry about all this. I … I guess I made a mess of everythin'."
"No, not everythin', an' I'm sorry too. I know that it doesn't really matter any more, but I didn't give Debbie a chance, I should have done."
"It's immaterial now, you were right, you know I didn't like it, but it's forgotten, ok?"
Jo was just about to reply when the air was filled with the sound of a baby crying and David got to his feet. Damita was, or had been, asleep in her stroller out in the main hallway so that their voices didn't disturb her. Now he picked her up and, not wanting to upset his sister by carrying her back into the room, began walking up and down the hall, softly cooing.
Jo knew that the little girl wasn't due a feed and, unless her diaper needed changing, guessed that she just wanted a little company. Suddenly with tears in her eyes, she spoke again.
"Davie, can … can I hold her? Just for a little minute?" She didn't get up, but held her breath, as she suddenly felt so empty, so unfulfilled, and watched as the tiny baby, who seemed so huge to her, was placed in her arms for the first time.
For a minute or two, as she got her emotions under control, Jo just looked down at the little girl, who had, amazingly, stopped crying the moment she had been given to her Aunt.
"Hey, Sweetie," the words were softly and haltingly spoken and she closed her eyes as two tears ran down her face. Slowly she looked into the vivid blue eyes looking up at her and Jo realised that even though her own baby wasn't home, even though her sister-in-law was probably trying to defraud her and her family out of a large part of their business, this child had nothing to do with any of it. Damita was three months old, all she needed was to be loved and cared for, and as a family they could all do that for her.
ooo
The night was still warm and Susan was glad that she hadn't bothered with a jacket. She could feel Nika's hand on her waist and he kept his arm around her as they walked along the pathway and then she realised he had begun to slow down until they were standing still and he was looking around.
"So this is Community General Hospital, I guess it's changed a lot over the past 34 years."
"Well, yeah, it's been added to over and over, in fact they even found a body in the wall when they were beginning one of the new extensions." Susan smiled, the story had become almost legend; how poor old Norman Briggs had swung the sledge hammer to initiate a major construction project only for a skeleton to fall out of the brickwork at his feet which was later discovered to be a murder victim from the 1960's.
"I was born here, you know." Dominic-Matthew looked about him, some of the hospital was quite old, in fact, if you concentrated, you could see the different eras in the architecture of the various buildings. "But then I guess a lot of the population around here could say that."
"This is quite a transient city, but yeah, when I say where I work most people at least have heard of it." Susan looked around herself, she was glad to be back, the sights, smells, the atmosphere, she had missed LA, but she had missed the hospital more.
There was a bench in part of the grounds that could only be described as a small courtyard by the placement of the paving slabs, with a rectangular piece of green in the middle, and some low growing bushes separating it from other parts of the landscaped gardens. Dominic-Matthew began steering Susan towards the seat noting, as he did so, how it was lit by a street lamp from over the hedge behind and that she did nothing to prevent their detour.
As they sat down he took in more of the immediate area. This little pocket was almost too good to be true. He had found it as he planned the night in detail just the day before. There were other quiet corners in the hospital grounds that he had considered but this one was on the way to Susan's home so didn't cause alarm, it was also situated in an area of the hospital where the CCTV cameras didn't appear to go.
The previous afternoon Dominic-Matthew had sat on the grass and watched as a young couple, a nurse and a man wearing a white coat identifying him as a doctor ate their lunch in this same quiet corner. They had kissed, talked, he had even seen the man get more than a little amorous, but the camera on the side of the building off to their left hadn't moved in their direction once. In the now dimming light of day he knew that they wouldn't be disturbed either.
"You are very beautiful you know." He raised his hand and ran it through the long hair on the right side of her face, the gentle curls at the ends bouncing back as he let them fall.
"Thank you." Susan blushed; it was a long time since someone had told her that. In her mind, she had pictured many times how the scene would unfold when she got back to LA; Jesse would fall into her arms, almost in the way he had actually done. He would tell her how he had missed her, her beauty, her body, and then he would stay, they would be back together and she would be in heaven. That hadn't happened, but now this man was telling her the same thing and she shivered, moved a little closer to him as she listened to his words, and then relaxed into a kiss that became passionate the moment their lips touched.
Gradually the conversation began to flow again. Sitting closely together they talked about their childhood, Susan enjoying the chance to reminisce, and Nika, slowly, almost painfully, telling her about the foster homes he'd been in, the unhappiness, the feeling of never belonging, of always moving on to somewhere else, someone else, not all of it was true, but he knew that she wouldn't ever be in a position to check up on him.
He talked about living in New York, mentioning a girlfriend he had there, slowly running his hands up Susan's back as he did so and then towards the front of her body. As she moved a little so he was no longer touching her breasts he reached out, winding his hand roughly into her hair and suddenly Susan was afraid, desperately afraid.
ooo
Rae sat, a pile of handwritten notes beside her, trying to focus. Although she usually put everything onto the computer as soon as she could, she had always written things down in longhand first. If there were three or four pages of notes then it was easy for her to type them up, but when it was a line here, a quick thought there, they got put together in a clear plastic folder until it was full to bursting and she knew there was no escape, she had to deal with them.
That was the situation she found herself in right now and so she opened up three separate pages in word, called one 'Dominic', one 'Albert' and one 'Other' and then began typing. When she got to the small note to remind herself that she hadn't yet read Albert Hardy's autopsy fully she groaned. There were some things that Rae had brought home from the station, which she didn't need, but now there was also something she hadn't brought with her that she definitely did need. Calling up yet another page she named it 'Brainless', smiled, and then moved on.
After Texas had returned home Rae had spent time with her children, she had also tidied up the house a little, wanting it to be neat and clean for the new housekeeper but not wanting Vicki to have had to do it all before she left for her long weekend. Jesse had called during his break and they'd chatted for almost twenty minutes without either of them being interrupted. It would be morning before she spoke to him again and, even with all her work to do, she wished he were here to share the time with her.
Rae had told Jesse about the time she and Anneya had spent at the station. It had been obvious that her daughter had been expected. There was a colouring book on the desk; one of the ones that Rae knew the community officers took into pre-schools and community centres. Next to the book there was a carton of juice and an apple.
A tall, sandy haired young man in uniform was also in the squad room and Rae had smiled up at him as they passed on their way to the filing cabinets, not recognizing him, but feeling cheered and happy by the thoughtfulness shown to her child.
"Hi, my name is Billy Tuttle, you're Rae Yeager aren't you?"
"Yeah, that's right, what can I do for you?"
"The Captain asked me to come speak to your daughter, to tell her a little bit about where her momma works."
Rae had been confused, she knew that it had shown on her face, and she looked down at her little girl, who was looking around her wide eyed, holding fast to her mother's hand.
"Detective, I have Deaf parents, I learned to sign before I learned to speak. I promise you I won't scare her."
Rae nodded, why hadn't she thought of asking at work if anyone knew about helping with her problems? They arrested Deaf people, interrogated them, had their help as witnesses. Stupid, stupid, stupid, she had berated herself, and then felt the small soft hand leave hers, looked at Anneya and smiled.
Billy was crouched down, introducing himself, she could tell, to Anneya, and the wide eyes had been replaced with a look of joy, of amazement, that someone else apart from her momma, papa, sister and Miss Vicki could speak with her.
The colouring book was still on the table next to her, the crayons beside it. There was a second book for Eliana and together the girls had coloured, scribbled and laughed as they enjoyed their gift.
Rae smiled at the memory, she had invited Billy to come to the house during the week, wanting not only for him to spend some time with her daughter again, but also to tell her and Jesse things, answer questions, see the situation from a different perspective and already she was looking forward to the visit.
ooo
"What …? no, that hurts. Nika!" The fear in her eyes excited him and he pulled her hair tighter as he felt himself grow in stature and his control began to extend from just the situation to her as well.
"It is supposed to hurt! Look at you; you're all the same! You dress up pretty, but when things start to get exciting you leave me, just like she was gonna leave me in New York. And her hair, I don't have her hair, but I will have yours."
Again she tried to move from him and he raised his voice a little, but still he was calm, terrifyingly calm.
"Never again will you back away." He looked at the fear in her eyes once more and enjoyed it, his voice changing as he spoke again. "What, you don't want to play? How sad, but I do, and this time we are gonna play, we are gonna play my way, Sara, and this time I write the rules."
The sarcasm in his tone, the forceful nature of his terrifying behaviour all made her head swim, her body heavy, she couldn't move, even though she knew she had to, had to run before it was too late, but in the end all she did was plead with him.
"Nika, please."
"That is NOT my name. My name is Dominic, but the cops, they call me the Red Rose Killer, perhaps you've heard of me?" His voice changed again just a little, it was calm once more, but now it was also cold and calculating, and Susan's horror increased again.
With her hair still held firmly around his fist he watched her try to break away from him, from his hold on her, and then she screamed, they always screamed and he pulled her hair, twisting her around as he did so and, with her back to him, he plunged the knife into her hearing her cry increase in volume as the blood flowed down her back and over his hand.
With a surge of almost super strength Susan pulled until her hair ripped from her head, plunging forwards off the seat, staggering from the pain and fear that surrounded her as she instinctively tried to get back towards the main walkway. She heard him roar as he leapt after her and she stumbled, falling to her knees, feeling her shoe being ripped from her and then a white hot pain shot through her foot and, even in her panic-stricken state, she knew what he had done.
ooo
Frank had made himself a second cup of black coffee which was steaming nicely when he caught sight of a movement on one of the cameras situated near the perimeter and his drink was forgotten in an instant.
Grabbing the microphone in front of him he relayed the location into it urgently, gabbling as he watched a scene almost too horrific to contemplate unfold before him, its participants moving in and out of camera range. He heard the confirmation of security guards on route and then, his eyes glued to the screens; he prayed that they wouldn't be too late.
ooo
Most of the pages with notes on now had lines through, indicating that she had finished with them. The little post-its though were still to be done. In some ways these could be of more use than the detailed comments. Sometimes a one word note or short sentence could set off a train of thought that would lead to greater things.
The phone rang and Rae reached out, glad she had remembered to bring the handset in with her. "Detective Yeager … Yes, that's right … where? No, no, I'm on my way." Her face had indicated the dismay she felt and, as she disconnected the call, she almost immediately dialled again to ask Texas if Juan could come mind the girls and then, as she waited impatiently for him to arrive, tried to get through to her partner.
ooo
The call to the ER had come in when the doctors were enjoying a lull in patients, Alex had been talking with Jesse about the initial plans for his wedding and that had led them to recalling not only Jesse's marriage to Rae but also Steve's to Jo. Alex had just told Jesse that he and Shannon wanted Daniel to be the best man and his girls and Amanda's boys to be part of the wedding party as well and was downing the last of his coffee when the Tannoy sprang into life. "Code Blue: Doctor Travis to the ER STAT, Code Blue: Doctor Jesse Travis to the ER STAT."
As he turned to leave the doctors' lounge the voice called out again. "Code Blue: Doctor Martin to the ER STAT, Code Blue: Doctor Alex Martin to the ER STAT."
Their conversation was instantly forgotten as they rushed down the hallway, a code blue was an adult medical emergency, and both men were reviewing protocols and procedure as they made their way to the nurses' station.
"What've we got?" Jesse arrived first pulling on latex gloves as he talked and looking around anxiously at the same time.
"Doctor Travis, Doctor Martin, it's a nurse from here, she's been attacked in the grounds. Security called for the paramedics, I don't know how she is, but it sounds bad."
The two doctors nodded, and for a moment waited in silence before moving further towards the doors of the emergency room so they could see the gurney as it arrived.
ooo
By the time Juan had come to look after the girls and she had driven across town it was only five minutes after she arrived that Rae saw Jesse and Alex come out of the trauma suite. Their white coats were covered with blood and she stood up, moving forwards immediately as did the officer who was with her. His partner was on the door to where Susan was being treated, and she would have her room guarded by these two men and another team for as long as it took, if she was still alive that was.
Both doctors looked traumatised themselves. Their faces were drawn and, although the tiredness and pain in their eyes didn't surprise her, it did concern Rae and she wanted to touch Jesse, ask him how he was coping, take him into her arms and just hold him until his world righted itself again but she did none of those things, instead she asked just one question. "How is she?"
"Alive." It was Jesse who spoke, the strain in his voice telling his wife just how difficult he had found his task. "She's ready to go to the OR. Rae, I know you need to speak with her, but take it easy, ok?"
"She's conscious?" Rae looked surprised, she hadn't thought she would get a chance to speak with Susan this soon, wasn't even sure she would still have been alive by the time she'd got to the hospital, but now, well maybe now, she could get a break.
"Yeah, but in a lot of pain, and in shock. Rae, I'm gonna come with you, and when I say stop, you stop." Jesse moved back towards the room, his wife hesitated before following him and finally placed her hand on his arm slowing him down also.
"Jess, no one else has survived; I need to speak with her, for as long as possible." She turned as she stood by the door. "Alex, I've been calling Steve's cell, so has Texas, we can't get him, could you get on to her and ask if she'll keep trying?"
"Sure, Rae, no problem."
"No one comes in here without an official Community General badge, or my say so, and you get their names and addresses. Anyone you aren't expecting is told to leave, if they don't, you arrest them." Rae spoke seriously, leaving no room for argument.
"Yes, Ma'am." The young officer looked at his superior officer. She was exuding confidence and authority, but he could see a little excitement in her eyes, she had waited a long time for this moment, they all had.
ooo
The movie finally finished and Steve and Daniel made their way back out into the cooling evening air. He knew that some of the people leaving with them had sat and watched the entire trilogy from start to finish, maybe even more than once. The special showings had been on all week and, according to the lady he bought the tickets from, this was the first respite they'd had, they'd been lucky to get in.
"You know we could stay and watch the entire thing." Daniel smiled as he spoke; he'd seen the way his dad had had to stretch his long legs out into the aisle. Had seen him ease his back a little, but Daniel had also known that he would enjoy the film as much as he would and so he'd let his dad get up and buy the soda and popcorn just before the movie started, to give him one last chance to move around.
"Uh, no. I enjoyed it, but twice in one day? I don't think so." Steve was taking his phone out of his jeans as he spoke. He had forgotten to call Jo after they left the hospital and, although he had kept telling himself he would pop out when there was lull in the excitement of the film, there hadn't been one and he had never done it.
The small screen showed eight missed calls and he wondered what could be so urgent that he had been contacted so many times. Jayden his heart missed a beat as he thought of his baby son and punched in the quick dial number for his home.
"The Sloan residence … Steve, darlin' … he is next door lookin' after Eliana an' Anneya. You need to get to the hospital Rae is … no, he's just fine, the Red Rose Killer struck again … it was Susan."
The message rang in his ears as Steve tried to work out what to do. Daniel had his learner's permit, but couldn't drive himself home. There was no way he would send him alone in a taxicab, even to Beverly Hills, he would have to come with him.
"Son, I have to go to the hospital …" He saw the same anxious look he was sure he'd had himself not a minute earlier and sought to reassure him. "No, it's not Jayden; you can stay in Grandpa's office until I'm done, ok? Or maybe with Alex if he's on duty, but we need to go, now."
The car journey hadn't taken long, Daniel had sat quietly watching his dad but thinking about himself. He had felt so lonely and almost invisible when Jayden had been born the previous week. He had known though that it wasn't deliberate on his parents' part and had promised himself that he would ride the temporary storm without letting his mom and dad know how he felt.
The time at his grandpa's place had been great. He'd enjoyed Mark's company, the discussions they'd had making him feel so included, so loved, so special and again he'd realised how lucky he was. At the same time however, he'd wanted to be home with his family, even though he knew there was a good reason why he wasn't able to be, and he'd prayed for his brother in his own way, so that things could get back to normal.
Michael had understood, just as his grandpa had, and he too talked to him, he'd taken him out and explained some of the things he'd found out about premature babies. The information, given by someone who wasn't a doctor, had helped him realise the stress that his folks were under, and he'd felt proud of himself and the way he had remained quietly in the background instead of acting like a jerk.
Now finally tonight he'd had, although no one else knew it, his reward. The time with his dad and Jayden had been special, the movie too was wonderful, and to cap it all he got to see his dad in action. Lieutenant Sloan at work. A big smile came to his face and he let out a satisfied sigh as he leant back in the seat. He was sorry for the victim, but he was feeling too good to let that take away from his evening. Life was great.
ooo
"Susan?" Rae's voice was soft and carefully she put her own hand over that of the pale and terrified patient in front of her.
"You." Susan seemed to jerk away from the woman standing over her, and then watched as Rae sat beside her, wondering what she wanted.
"Yes, me. I need to ask you a few questions. I know you're scared, and in pain, but this is really important."
For a moment Susan looked at the person who had married her Jesse, the confusion adding to the myriad of emotions she already felt, having no idea why that woman was here, or what she wanted to ask.
Rae, seeing the shock and confusion in the young woman's eyes explained softly who she was. "Susan, I'm a police officer. You were attacked tonight; I need to know what happened."
"Oh. I … he seemed so nice. It … I … we only went to see a movie." Her eyes were closed, as if talking and looking together took too much effort, and Rae had a feeling they probably did.
"What did he say his name was?" Rae was used to writing quickly, but Susan's words were coming out in gasps and she had no problem keeping up.
"N … Nika, but … but in the end … before …" she paused for a moment, not being able to continue, "before this … this happ … ened. He said he … he said he was Dominic … the Red Rose …" the words faded and for a moment Susan was totally still.
"Rae, that's enough. She needs to go to surgery in a minute anyway."
"Jesse, please just a little longer." Rae thought quickly. What were the most important questions to ask? The door opened as the room became silent and a nurse put her head round it.
"Doctor, the OR is being prepped; the orderlies are on their way."
"Thank you, nurse. Rae, when they come, that's it, over."
"Susan, can you hear me?"
"Yes … I'm sorry … so sorry."
"Don't worry. Just answer a couple more questions, why did you go with him if he looked like the guy in the papers?"
"Be … because he didn't." Susan opened her eyes now, wanting them to know that she hadn't been that stupid.
"How? How didn't he?"
"His hair … it was dark, like … like his eyebrows, and he had glasses … a beard too. A …" Susan raised her hand, grimacing with pain as she did so, "thin, a thin beard."
"Like a goatee?" Rae could see Susan's finger tracing a shape in the air.
"Yes … yes, that's it." Again she paused, as if remembering, and then as the orderlies entered the room she spoke again. "No … wait … he said … he said that someone had … left him … in New York … he called me Sara, said … he said I would never … le … leave him again."
This time the exertion was too much and Susan fell back into the pillows as alarms began to scream and Rae, closing her notebook and putting it away quietly, left the room as Jesse tried, once again, to save her life.